Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “princess” come from?

Princess comes from Middle English princesse, from Old French princesse, a feminine form denoting a woman of royal rank or the wife of a prince.

princess (English): A female member of a royal family other than a...

Definitions

  1. A female member of a royal family other than a...

Ancestry of “princess”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishprincesse—
2Old Frenchprincesseprincess
3Old Frenchprinceprince
4Latinprīnceps—
5Latinprimoceps—
6Latincapiō—
7Proto-Italickapiōtake
8Proto-Italickapjōtake, seize
9Proto-Indo-Europeankh₂pyéti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂p-to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...

Words derived from “princess”

  • princessy
  • princesslike
  • princessly
  • unprincesslike
  • princessliness
  • princessless
  • merprincess
  • princessification
  • princessing
  • プリンセス
Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- →